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Regardless of your version of true happiness, living a happier, more satisfied life is within reach. A few tweaks to your regular habits, like getting more sleep and exercise, may help you get there.

Habits matter. If you’ve ever tried breaking a bad habit, you know all too well how ingrained they can be.

Well, good habits are deeply ingrained, too. Why not work on making positive habits part of your routine? Remember though, everyone’s version of happiness is a little different, and so is the path to achieving it.

If some of these habits create more stress or just don’t fit your lifestyle, skip them. With a little time and practice, you’ll figure out what does and doesn’t work for you.

The following daily habits may help you achieve more happiness in your life.

1. Exercise

Exercise isn’t just for your body. Regular exercise can help balance brain chemicals involved in stress, anxiety, and depression while boosting self-esteem and happiness.

The trick is to avoid overexerting yourself. If you suddenly throw yourself into a strenuous routine, you may just end up frustrated (and sore).

You can start small such as a walk around the block or 5 minutes of stretching. In time, you’ll notice the added benefits and may want to step it up a gear.

2. Get plenty of sleep

Most adults need at least 7 hours of sleep every night. If you find yourself fighting the urge to nap during the day or just generally feel like you’re in a fog, your body may be telling you it needs more rest.

No matter how much our modern society steers us toward less sleep, we know that adequate sleep is vital to good health, brain function, and emotional well-being.

3. Practice gratitude

Simply being grateful can give your mood a big boost, among other benefits.

They don’t always need to be big things.

For example, it could be something small, such as a co-worker offering you a cup of coffee or a neighbor who waved to you. It could even just be the warmth of the sun on your skin.

Over time, you’ll find yourself noticing more and more positive things.

The following tips include weekly habits that may help you feel happier.

4. Declutter

Decluttering sounds like a big project, but setting aside just 20 minutes a week can have a big impact.

Set a timer on your phone and tidy up a specific area of one room — say, your closet or that out-of-control junk drawer. Put everything in its place and toss or give away any extra clutter that’s not serving you anymore.

Keep a designated box for giveaways to make things a little easier (and avoid creating more clutter).

You can use this trick anytime you feel like your space is getting out of control.

5. See friends

Humans are largely considered social beings, and it’s generally thought that having social relationships can make us happy.

In adulthood, it can feel next to impossible to make new friends. But it’s not about how many friends you have. It’s about having meaningful relationships — even if it’s just with one or two people.

If you don’t know where to start, you could try getting involved in a local volunteer group or taking a class. Both can help connect you with like-minded people in your area. And it’s likely they’re looking for friends, too.

6. Get into nature

Spending 30 minutes or more a week in green spaces can help boost your mood.

Your green space could be anything, such as your neighborhood park, your own backyard, or a rooftop garden — anywhere you can appreciate and enjoy nature and fresh air.

Better yet, add some outdoor exercise into the mix for extra benefit. The same aforementioned study found that people who spent time in green spaces were also more likely to exercise more frequently and for longer each time.

You might want to give these monthly habits to improve your happiness a try.

7. Give back

Some people find that giving back to the community can help boost their mood.

Maybe that’s helping out at a food bank on the third weekend of every month or offering to watch your friend’s kids one night per month.

If that isn’t something you have time for currently, you can always try giving small compliments to people to spread the joy. People often feel benefits from small acts of kindness.

8. Take yourself out

No one to go out with? Well, what rule says you can’t go out alone?

Consider going to your favorite restaurant, watching a movie, or taking that trip you’ve always dreamed of.

Even if you’re a social butterfly, spending some deliberate time alone can help you reconnect with the activities that truly make you happy.

9. Create a thought list

You arrive for an appointment with 10 minutes to spare. What do you do with that time? Pick up your cellphone to scroll through social media? Worry about the busy week you have ahead of you?

Trying to take control of your thoughts during these brief windows of time can offer benefits.

You might try making a short list of happy memories or things you’re looking forward to on a small piece of paper or on your phone.

Try following habits once a year or more to reflect and plan for happiness.

10. Take time to reflect

While the start of a new year is a good time to stop and take inventory of your life, you can set up yearly habits at any point in the year. Try setting aside some time to catch up with yourself the way you would with an old friend:

  • How are you doing?
  • What have you been up to?
  • Are you happier than you were a year ago?

But try to avoid judging yourself too harshly for your answers. You’ve made it to another year, and that’s a reason to celebrate.

11. Reevaluate your goals

People change, so try thinking about where you’re heading and consider if that’s still where you want to go. There’s no shame in changing your plans.

Let go of any goals that no longer serve you, even if they sound nice on paper.

12. Take care of your body

You’ve likely heard this before, but your physical and mental health are closely intertwined.

As you build habits to improve your happiness, it’s important to follow up with routine appointments to help take care of your body, such as:

There are many habits you can try to boost your happiness from exercise to seeing friends or just getting out in nature for a moment.

You might also want to try certain monthly or yearly habits that you can incorporate into your life. But don’t put too much pressure on yourself. If something doesn’t fit, don’t feel you have to force it.

If you’re experiencing persistent feelings of unhappiness that don’t seem to shift, it’s a good idea to speak with your doctor. It could be an underlying condition, such as depression, that a doctor will be able to help you with.